Page 79 - Bill MacRitchie and Early Flight
ISSUE : Issue 55
Published by Ronald Caplan on 1990/8/1
w I flew Casey Baldwin to Baddeck. Had to fly him up in our Moth air? plane, as some slight damage was done to the one in pho? to.... He was in the airplane- he was upside down in it with me. We were headed out for Baddeck, and we had to go get the other aircraft. He was a member of the Legislature, and he was working out of Baddeck still at that time. He was 50- something or 60, whatever. I flew him up there because the roads were (bad) and everything. (So you got in this plane first?) Yes. (What happened?) We hooked in the crust of the snow • broke through • the ski broke through and caught in it. And there was a gust of wind came and turned the < thing right over on its back like that. And then I took another plane, and I flew him to Baddeck, landed on the ice tnere wnere tne original flight was made. But you know, it's quite an honour to fly the very first person to fly • Canadian • to fly ever. (Casev Baldwin flew the Silver Dart off the ice of Baddeck Bav on Febmarv 23.1909 • the first heavier-than-air flight in Canada, and the first bv a British subject in the British Empire.) What a nice experience it was. He left the airplane running on the ice, and went up to have a couple of drinks up in the big Bell estate up on the top of the nfx)untain, like, up where they are. Quite a nice experience for me. mf' COMMiJRClAL A!R FJiOT'S CLKMHOiT'- <'?1,Y1'{ • • w's*' ,..l;'i,s??';;:';.w;
;.> A [',:?? volved. You have to learn about the weath? er- -meteorology . You have to learn about engines. You have to have the theory of flight--how it flies and why it flies. And what to do and what not to do. And you must also have navigation and airmanship. You have a whole bunch of things to fol? low, .which were based on--really were based on the Royal Flying Corps wartime things, go right back to it, went right back to the early, early flying. So we learned all of that. And then, you had to go get about 10 or 12 hours of solo The Silver Dart, February 23,1909 flying in, before you could apply for your license. I got my license in--took me till 1932. (Tell me about the first day you go out in an airplane.) Well, the first thing you do Welcome to Baddeck on the Bras d'Or Lakes ART • HANDCRAFTS ANTIQUES • WOOLENS IMPORTED GOODS BOOKS • MUSIC "Purchases mailed/shipped to any destination" Located in the Centre of Baddeck ' yni4fooii 295-2950 • Bill & Anna Marie Fraser ''>'' 295-2234 .xV'' 'e' Serving Breakfast Daily • FULLY LICENSED • Air Conditioned Seating Capacity of 140 Tour Buses Welcome (reserve in advance) FAMILY RESTAURANT Affordable Welcomes you to PrlCGS • DOWNTOWN BADDECK • ''' • i ' Specializing in seafood & Chinese cuisine ' ' Environment Canada Canadian Parks Environnement Canada Service canadien BADDECK, N, S. ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK No Admission Charge 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Year Round 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. July 1 to Sept. 30 Open 7 Days a Week BELL THE MAN * BELL THE EXPERIMENTER * HYDROFOIL HALL Beautiful, Intelligent and Peaceful 75 ion. west of Sydney on Route 105 Children Can Build & Fly a Bell Kite Special Evening Presentations Inquire 295-2069 for Times CanadS
;.> A [',:?? volved. You have to learn about the weath? er- -meteorology . You have to learn about engines. You have to have the theory of flight--how it flies and why it flies. And what to do and what not to do. And you must also have navigation and airmanship. You have a whole bunch of things to fol? low, .which were based on--really were based on the Royal Flying Corps wartime things, go right back to it, went right back to the early, early flying. So we learned all of that. And then, you had to go get about 10 or 12 hours of solo The Silver Dart, February 23,1909 flying in, before you could apply for your license. I got my license in--took me till 1932. (Tell me about the first day you go out in an airplane.) Well, the first thing you do Welcome to Baddeck on the Bras d'Or Lakes ART • HANDCRAFTS ANTIQUES • WOOLENS IMPORTED GOODS BOOKS • MUSIC "Purchases mailed/shipped to any destination" Located in the Centre of Baddeck ' yni4fooii 295-2950 • Bill & Anna Marie Fraser ''>'' 295-2234 .xV'' 'e' Serving Breakfast Daily • FULLY LICENSED • Air Conditioned Seating Capacity of 140 Tour Buses Welcome (reserve in advance) FAMILY RESTAURANT Affordable Welcomes you to PrlCGS • DOWNTOWN BADDECK • ''' • i ' Specializing in seafood & Chinese cuisine ' ' Environment Canada Canadian Parks Environnement Canada Service canadien BADDECK, N, S. ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK No Admission Charge 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Year Round 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. July 1 to Sept. 30 Open 7 Days a Week BELL THE MAN * BELL THE EXPERIMENTER * HYDROFOIL HALL Beautiful, Intelligent and Peaceful 75 ion. west of Sydney on Route 105 Children Can Build & Fly a Bell Kite Special Evening Presentations Inquire 295-2069 for Times CanadSCape Breton's Magazine